Early Childhood Exceptionalities (EC41)

Offered at the Following Campuses

Walker County Campus

Polk County Campus

Gordon County Campus

Program Overview

The Early Childhood Care and Education Exceptionalities TCC is a sequence of three courses designed to prepare students to work with students with special needs. The program emphasizes an inclusive classroom including strategies and activities for exceptional children (both low and high achieving students). Graduates have qualifications to be employed in early care and education settings including child care centers, Head Start, and Georgia Pre-K programs.

(Not Accepting New Students On The Polk Campus)

Course Overview

Provides for the development of knowledge and skills that will enable the student to understand individuals with special needs and appropriately guide their development. Special emphasis is placed on acquainting the student with programs and community resources that serve families with children with special needs. Topics include inclusion/least restrictive environment (LRE), physical and motor impairments, gifted/talented, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, communication disorders in speech and language, autism spectrum disorders, visual impairments, deaf and hard of hearing, health impairments, multiple disabilities, and community resources.

Prepares child care providers and paraprofessionals with knowledge and skills in the areas of working effectively with children with a disability; working with families as partners; examining the laws and regulations; exploring resources, service providers, and agencies that may assist the child and his/her family; examining the adaptations and modifications to facilities and environments; reviewing the referral process; implementing inclusion; modifying instruction to accommodate the child with special needs; and investigating ways to document and chart observations.

Prepares child care providers and paraprofessionals with knowledge and skills for screening and assessing purposes; and explores resources, service providers, and agencies that may assist the child and families in educational or natural settings. Examines adaptations, accommodations, and modifications to environments; reviews the referral process; implements inclusion and modifies instruction to accommodate the child with special needs.